Automobile radiator flow indicator



Nov. 27, 192s. A 1,693,211

v l. A. WEAVER I AUTOMOBILE RADIATOR FLOW INDICATOR Filed nay 2o, 192s mi muni IIIIIII Patented Nov. 27, 1928.

IRA A. WEAVER, F SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMOBILE RADIATORy Fnow INDICATOIR- Application filed May 20,

My invention relates to automobiler radiator flow meters or indicators to show to the chauffeurof the vehicle the mannerin which the water-cooling system of his car is 6 functioning.

One aim ofthe invention is the provision of an appliance of this type which will disclose lor reveal the manner in which the cooling water is entering the radiator, and also the l0 condition of such water, as well as its height or level in the radiator.

If the water is flowing properly into and from the radiator, that fact will bea-pparent from the way in which the device operates.

On the other hand, if the water-circulation system is stopped up or partially clogged, a change in the functioning of the indicator will be shown. i

. Also, if the water reaches such a temperature that it boils, this condition of affairs will become obvious from the mode of working ot' the appliance.

The new device is intended to take the place of or actas a substitute for the well known motometer, and to perform in addition to its purely temperature-indicating action, the other specified desirable operations.

A rfurther purpose of the invention is the production of an apparatus of this character andhaving the capabilities referredto.` which is simple in construction, which is reliable and effective in its operation, and'which can be produced at a relatively small cost.

To enable those acquainted with this art to fully understand the structural and functional advantages accruing from the employment of this invention, in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, andto which reference should be had in connection with the following detailed description, two desirable or preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown more or less in detail, the same referencer characters being used throughout the several views for like parts.

In this drawing,-

Fig. V1 is an elevation of the new and improved device, showing it as applied to a radiator-neck cap and illust-rating a small section of the radiator itself;

Fig. 2 is a central, vertical, longitudinal section through the entire appliance;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 shows the novel indicator applied to the top of a radiator in a somewhat different 1926. Serial No 110,525.

manner, the radiator and its cap being illustrated in section; and j Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal section through the tapering sleeve surrounding the small turbine at the point` where the admission pipe or tube is pivotally or hingedly connected thereto.

The new and improved water-flow indicator or meter is constructed and intended to be carried or fixed on the automobile radiator-cap V11, which is ordinarily detachably or otherwise'mounted by means of cooperating screw-threads on the threaded neck or filling-spout 12 of a radiator 13.

Such cap is centrally apertured at 14 for the extension therethrough of a sheet-metal, tubular member 15 having an outer or upper part 16 of enlarged diameter,l its lower, smaller section extending down through the cap-hole and being fitted inside of the cap with athreadednut 17 and a gasket or washer 18 betweenthe end of the nut and theiunder face of the cap', thereby forming a vapor and water tight connection between the parts.

Hence the nut securely andfirmly holds the hollow or tubular member 15 fixedly in position on the cap. Y V

Screwed into the lower end of the member 15, I employ an open-ended, depending, longitudi'nallyslotted, tubular Casing' 19, the walls of which between the slots or elongated apertures are deflected or curved inwardly somewhat, as shown in Fig. 3in order to direct any liquid flowing inwardly through such passages toward the center.

The element 19 constitutes an outer, stationary casing or apertured shell of a small water turbine, the companion or correlated propeller or rotary member of which is a twisted or spiral barV 21, the lower end of which has a bearing 22 receiving a supporting, stationary pin or shaft 23, the upper end of the twisted bar having an extension 24 carrying one or more horizontal, permanent magnets 25 at its top end, a guide 26 surrounding the part 24, which assures its substantial u pright position at all times.l

Surmounting the member 15 is a glass or other transparent cylinder 27, closed or covered at its top end by a metal cap 28 of pleasing design, the lower end of such container being fastened to the externallyscrewthreaded part 16 by a suitably shaped rlng 29, in which the lower section of the glass body fits.

The partsl closing the opposite ends of the transparent shell or casing are seated or otherwise secured thereto in an air-tight manner, and the interior of the glass cylin- .der is under substantial vacuum by reason of its air being 'drawn olf or abstracted in the usual way by an appropriate air pump.

vThis Ysub-atmospheric pressure in the glass compartment not only facilitates the rotation of the indicator therein, described hereinafter, but the outer air pressure -tends to hold the parts firmlyI together. y

Y Secured to the centerjof the'round disc or plate 31,1 provide an upright standard o r posty 32, the top end of which has a vertical bearing 33 for a pin or shaft 3a fastened to the Center of and depending centrally within an inverted, rotary, cup-shaped indicator, supplied externally with a series of multicolored, spiral bands or stripes 36, by means of which the relative speed and comparative luniformity of rotation of the member 35 may be easily determined or judged by merely looking at them.

The lower end of the indicator 35 carries one or more transverse or horizontal, permanent magnets 37, by means of which the indicator is rotated through the revolution of the complementary, rotari, driving magnet or magnets 35.' Y

In order tocover the magnet or magnets 37 so that they cannot bep'seen through the enclosing glass casing, a shield 38 of appropriate form is used in the relation indicated for that purpose.V y

Thus the-rotation of the propeller or rotor of. the small turbine is transmitted through the two sets of co-operating magnets to the indicator in a sealed vacuum container', and, accordingly, there is no possibility of water,

` Vmoisture, vapor or dirt entering the closed compartment, and' there is no' danger of any of these escaping through or around the cap. 'It will be understood that there is no direct lmechanicalconnection between the driving `means andthe indicator and its operator, 'i Such a` construction avoids the use of a shaft extending through the cap,` which would probably necessitate the employment of some form of stuffing box therewith, which, obviously, would have certain objectionable characteristics. i

' The turbine ofV this construction projects Ydownwardly into the top part or head portion of the interior of 'the'i'adiatom where it is subject tothe action of the water entering the radiator at vthat point, either by reason of, the operation of a pump or through thermo-siphonic actionf yWhen an adequate quantity of water is in the radiator, a part of the entering water, or that already in the radiator, flows into the turbinev through the upright longitudinal slots or openings of the casing or shell 19, and, by reason of suoli entrance and descent and discharge through the open, lower end of such shell, the rotary member or propeller 2l is caused to revolve at a speed substantially proportional to the speed of operation of the engine of the automobile. Y

The rotation ofthe magnetic meansv 25, by reason of its electrical attraction for the coinplementary magnetic means 3T ,in the scaled vacuum chamber, produces the revolution of such upper magnetic means and its associated indicator 35, which is clearly visible to the driver of the automobile through the transparent glass shield. i j

A substantially uniform rotation of the indiator at a proper Vspeed informs the chauffeur that the cooling system of his engine is functioning properly.

If the driving connection for the pump of the cooling system breaks, or if the radiator or its connections become clogged with sec iment, or if the hose connections therefor become closed, as they sometimes do by reason of disintegration of the material forming such connections, no water will be delivered to theturbine, and the non-rotation of the indicator will disclose to the observer that the Vcooling system needs immediate attention to remedy the trouble. y

' vIf the indicator turns at too slow a speed, it will be apparent that the water-cooling system is not operating at full efiiciency and inishing water may be added 'to' the radiator before harm results. i

The spiral or helical stripes or bands on the indicator give .material aid in showing the manner in which this member is turning.

ln Figs. 4 ando of the drawing a somewhat modified construction is shown, wherein a tapered sleeve l'lrhangs suspended from the top of the radiator-neck, and encases the turbine structure, being .held in position by the screw-threaded radiator-cap member ll.

Such sleeve has an entrance-tube or pipe 421 hinged thereto at 4:3 and'ezrtending into the entrance pipe 44 of the radiator 45, the hinge construction being'v provided to facilitate'tlie insertion of the appliance through the radiator-neck, but, of course, it will be understood thatl the tube may be made flexible, if

preferred.

A portion of the water traveling. up through the pipe 44 flows through this bypass tube i2 and enters the casingV il at one side thereof, as indicated in Fig. 5, above the level of the Water in the top compartment of the radiator, as shown in Fig. 4.

Such a construction provides a more positive movementv of the rotor or propeller of the turbine Within the sleeve, which is of the same construction as or equivalent to the structure already presented.

Although I have shown the by-pass tube as receiving its liquid from the supply in the entrance pipe of the radiator, it is to be understood that, if preferred, it may'receive its Water from some other portion of the cooling system.

Although I have inl this application presented only two embodiments of the invention, it will be recognized by those skilled in this art that it is susceptible of a variety of other embodiments varying from those shown and described in various ways, and consequently the invention is not limited to the precise and exact structural details shown, the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A cap for automobile radiator necks having, in combination, a turbine adapted to be positioned in the radiator when the cap is on the radiator neck and to berotated by the movement of a cooling liquid therein, magnetic means rotated by .said turbine, a transparent casing on said cap having a partial vacuum therein, a visible spirallystriped rotary indicator in said casing, and magnetic driving means for said indicator in said casing, whereby the rotaton of said turbine revolves said indicator through said two magnetic means.

2. A cap for automobile radiator necks having, in combination, a rotary turbine adapted to be positioned in the radiator' when the cap is on the radiator neck and to be rotated by the movement of a cooling liquid therein, said turbine comprising a. slotted open-ended casing and a spiral propeller mounted therein, a visible indicator, and

means operatively connecting said propellery and said indicator, whereby rotation of said turbine eifects the revolution of said indicator.

3. A cap for automobile radiator' necks having'` in combination, a rotary turbine adapted to be positioned in` the radiator whzn the cap is 'on the radiator neck and to be rotated by the movement or a cooling liquid therein, said turbine comprising a slotted open-ended casing and a spiral rotary propeller therein, a sleeve surrounding said casing, an entrance pipe for said sleeve for the delivery of liquid thereinto for the operation of the turbine, a visible indicator, and means operatively connecting said propeller and indicator, whereby rotation of the turbine effects the revolution of said indicator.

4. A cap for automobil-e radiator necks having in combination, a cap-'body adapted to be mounted on the radiator-neck, a turbine depending therefrom and designed to be positioned to be actuated by the Water flowing through the radiator, said turbine comprising an open-ended longitudinallyslotted casing and a spiral'rotary propeller therein, magnetic means rotated by such propeller, a closed transparent casing on the top of the cap and having a partial vacuum therein, a second magnetic means in said casing rotated by said first magnetic means, a spirally-striped indicator Lin said casing revolved by said second magnetic means, and a shield in said casing concealing said second magnetic means.

5. A cap for automobile radiator-necksl having, in combination, a rotary turbine adapted to be positioned in the radiator when the cap ison the radiator-neck and to be rotated by the movement of the cooling liquid therein, a transparent casing on said cap the contents of which are visible from all sides, a top and bottom closing saidV casing, magnetic means rotated by said turbine, a visible rotary indicator in said casing, and magnetic means associated with said indicator, whereby the rotation of said turbine revolves said indicator through said two magnetic means. l

r6. A cap for automobile radiator-necks having, in combination, a rotary turbine adapted to be positioned vin the radiator when the cap is on the radiator-neck and to be rotated by the movement of the cooling liquid therein, a transparent casing on said cap the contents of which are visible from all sides, a top and bottom closing said casing, the latter having a partial vacuum therein, magnetic means rotated by said turbine, a visible rot-aryindicator in said casing, and magnetic Ameans associated with said indicator, whereby the rotation of said turbine revolves said indicator through said two magnetic means.

7. A. cap for automobile radiator-necks having, in combination, a rotary turbine depending rom th-c cap and adapted to be positioned in the radiator whenV the cap is on the radiator-neck and to be rotated by the movement of the cooling liquid therein, a sleeve adapted to it in the radiator-neck and to extend down into the radiator surrounding said turbine, a pipe connected to said sleeve and adapted to extend into the conduit connecting the radiator to the engine of the automobile and to deliver liquid into said. sleeve for the operation of said turbine, a visible indicator, and means operatively connecting said turbine and indicator whereby the former revolves the latter.

In witness vvhereoi:l I have hereunto se my hand. p

IRA A. WEAVER. 

